Are The U.S. And Russia On The Same Page For Tomorrow's Signing Of A New Start Treaty?

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates,Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conduct a press conference on the new Nuclear Posture Review at the Pentagon,April 6, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Pre-Signing Spin? Russia Continues to Claim New Treaty Establishes “Inextricable Connection” with Missile Defense – White House Says They’re Wrong -- ABC News

In a statement today, Sergei Prikhodko – Russia President Dmitri Medvedev’s senior foreign policy adviser – contradicted the White House’s repeated assertion that the treaty that will be signed tomorrow in Prague by Medvedev and President Obama has no substantive linkage between a reduction in offensive nuclear arms and the US plans for missile defense in Europe.

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My Comment: White House officials are adamant in saying no to missile defense linkage .... Russia meanwhile says yes. I do not usually quote the Heritage Foundation .... but they have observed exactly what the Russians have been saying all along .... … "linkage to missile defense is clearly spelled out in the accord and is legally binding.”

Bottom line .... if the U.S. proceeds with missile defense .... which they have stated that they will .... the Russians will formally leave the treaty. If this is the case .... then what are they signing tomorrow? What's the point?